Art

In Warsaw, art brings solace and hope to Ukrainian refugees

Published

2 years ago

March 2, 2023

Sofia Riabchuk points to the Beautiful Madonna from Wroclaw at the National Museum in Warsaw, Poland. Ms. Riabchuk runs the museum’s educational program and she has developed an innovative art therapy workshop for Ukrainian refugees.Anna Liminowicz/The Globe and Mail

Sofia Riabchuk stood in a gallery in Warsaw’s National Museum and pointed to a medieval wooden statue of the Virgin Mary cradling a smiling baby Jesus. Then she started asking questions.

“What do you see?” she asked. “Are they happy? What are the secrets here that are not obvious for you? What would you wonder about the colours? The nudity of Christ?”

This wasn’t an art history test and there were no right or wrong answers. Instead, Riabchuk was demonstrating how she prompts a discussion about art and much more with a special audience: refugees from Ukraine.

Riabchuk leads an innovative program at the museum that helps newly arrived Ukrainians open up about their emotions and begin to heal from their ordeals.

Svitlana Kryventseva, 74, stands in the gallery of medieval art at the musem (pictured above). Ms. Kryventseva fled Kyiv when the war started and now lives in Warsaw where she has joined an art therapy course at the museum.Anna Liminowicz/The Globe and Mail

Every couple of weeks about a dozen refugees gather around a painting or a sculpture. For up to an hour, Riabchuck guides them through a conversation about the piece and what the artist was trying to convey. Participants are encouraged to talk about what they see in the artwork and how it makes them feel.

“I don’t call it therapy,” Riabchuk explained. “I just call it ‘slow looking’. We talk about, let’s say, a painting, without knowing anything. And I just provoke them to describe what they see. If the topic is about feelings … we are looking for this, for some feelings.”

Riabchuk can relate to the people who attend the sessions. She fled Kyiv with her three young children when the war started. They lived briefly in Lviv, in western Ukraine, and then moved to Warsaw at the encouragement of Polish friends. “I remember a great fatigue, that was the worst part,” she said of her first weeks in Poland. “I was so exhausted physically that I could not function more than a few hours a day.”

Ms. Riabchuk stands in front of The Death of Barbara Radziwill by Jozef Simmler. Ms. Riabchuk is a refugee herself and ran the education department at Kyiv’s Mystetskyi Arsenal museum before the war.Anna Liminowicz/The Globe and Mail

She’d been running the education department at the Mystetskyi Arsenal museum in Kyiv and had connections to the National Museum in Warsaw, which has now hired her to run its educational services. She had been on a fellowship to Poland six years ago which focused on art programs for children. Officials at the National Museum “were very, very open-minded and eager to share their experience. And then they helped me to have context in other museums in Warsaw,” she said.

She started the refugee program a few months ago and said the meetings often follow a theme. “One day we talked about fear, one day we talked about sadness, one day about joy,” she said. “Quite often people in the same group see the opposite feelings in the same painting. What that means is we are talking about ourselves.”

Fellowship and community are important parts of the program because many refugees have come to Warsaw on their own. “Some people feel really lonely, especially older people who have no relatives here,” Riabchuk said. “People meet people who have more or less same interests, like the arts.”

Ms. Kryventseva gestures to Beautiful Madonna from Wroclaw, above, and St. Michael’s Orthodox Church in Kiev by Jan Stanislawski, bottom.Anna Liminowicz/The Globe and Mail

Svitlana Kryventseva, 74, left Kyiv by herself in early March and found living in Warsaw difficult at first. “I needed to reflect on my emotions, like gratitude, what is good, what is bad,” she recalled.

She said she has always loved art and decided to try Riabchuk’s program. She has attended several sessions and found them enormously beneficial. “The art project provided the space for getting deeper in those positive emotions.”

One of the museum’s best-known paintings – the Death of Barbara Radziwiłł by Jozef Simmler – has generated some of the most heated discussions.

The painting depicts the dying moments of Queen Barbara, who married Poland’s King Sigismund II Augustus in 1547. The marriage caused a scandal because Barbara was seen by many Poles as a lower-class harlot and Sigismund had to persuade parliament and his mother to accept her as Queen. Barbara died of a mysterious illness five months after she was crowned. Some suspected that she had been poisoned by Sigismund’s mother.

Riabchuk showed one group the painting without telling them the backstory. “Some people thought he’s happy she’s dying. Some people thought he’s very sad. Some people thought he’s very mad she’s dying. And it was really controversial,” she said. “For everybody it’s different.”

The Battle of Grunwald by Jan Matejko.Anna Liminowicz/The Globe and Mail

She added that she always tells the groups that there are no wrong perceptions. “Many people are just afraid of interpreting because they say ‘I know nothing. How can I interpret?’ And I tried to show that there is no bad interpretation.”

Riabchuk is trying to better understand why the group talks have had such an impact. She’s pursuing a postgraduate degree in psychology and plans to use the art program as part of her thesis. “As a student of psychology, I am looking for the answer to why those meetings are so joyful. At the end, everyone feels really, really, well,” she said.

Kryventseva said she has been fascinated by Riabchuk’s discussions about artists and what they were trying to portray. “First we are coming to the picture. We dive into the into the content and then we have tea and discuss more of what we have experienced,” she said. “And then we can bridge from discussing the emotions activated by the picture, to the feelings related to our day-to-day lives.”

She has been particularly interested in the depictions of Ukraine by several Polish artists who are featured in the museum. For example she noted works that show Kyiv’s Saint Sophia Cathedral and landscapes of the Ukrainian countryside.

“This is an exciting experience and I can’t wait for the next meeting,” she said. “It means my days are productive.”

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Art

Calvin Lucyshyn: Vancouver Island Art Dealer Faces Fraud Charges After Police Seize Millions in Artwork

Published

3 days ago

September 13, 2024

Harry Miller

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.

Alleged Fraud Scheme

Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.

Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.

Massive Seizure of Artworks

In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.

Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.

Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed

In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.

Court Proceedings Ongoing

The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.

Impact on the Local Art Community

The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.

For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.

As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.

While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.

Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.

As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.

Art

Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone – BBC.com

Published

2 weeks ago

September 2, 2024

Harry Miller

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Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone BBC.com

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Art

Somerset House Fire: Courtauld Gallery Reopens, Rest of Landmark Closed

Published

4 weeks ago

August 18, 2024

Harry Miller

The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House has reopened its doors to the public after a fire swept through the historic building in central London. While the gallery has resumed operations, the rest of the iconic site remains closed “until further notice.”

On Saturday, approximately 125 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze, which sent smoke billowing across the city. Fortunately, the fire occurred in a part of the building not housing valuable artworks, and no injuries were reported. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.

Despite the disruption, art lovers queued outside the gallery before it reopened at 10:00 BST on Sunday. One visitor expressed his relief, saying, “I was sad to see the fire, but I’m relieved the art is safe.”

The Clark family, visiting London from Washington state, USA, had a unique perspective on the incident. While sightseeing on the London Eye, they watched as firefighters tackled the flames. Paul Clark, accompanied by his wife Jiorgia and their four children, shared their concern for the safety of the artwork inside Somerset House. “It was sad to see,” Mr. Clark told the BBC. As a fan of Vincent Van Gogh, he was particularly relieved to learn that the painter’s famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear had not been affected by the fire.

Blaze in the West Wing

The fire broke out around midday on Saturday in the west wing of Somerset House, a section of the building primarily used for offices and storage. Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, assured the public that “no valuable artefacts or artworks” were located in that part of the building. By Sunday, fire engines were still stationed outside as investigations into the fire’s origin continued.

About Somerset House

Located on the Strand in central London, Somerset House is a prominent arts venue with a rich history dating back to the Georgian era. Built on the site of a former Tudor palace, the complex is known for its iconic courtyard and is home to the Courtauld Gallery. The gallery houses a prestigious collection from the Samuel Courtauld Trust, showcasing masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Among the notable works are pieces by impressionist legends such as Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent Van Gogh.

Somerset House regularly hosts cultural exhibitions and public events, including its popular winter ice skating sessions in the courtyard. However, for now, the venue remains partially closed as authorities ensure the safety of the site following the fire.

Art lovers and the Somerset House community can take solace in knowing that the invaluable collection remains unharmed, and the Courtauld Gallery continues to welcome visitors, offering a reprieve amid the disruption.

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